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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2008 > August > 06
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Sugarland and Third Day on top
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sugarland: Kristian Bush (left) and Jennifer Nettles. Photo: Kate Powers.
In its second week of release, Sugarland’s “Love on the Inside” moves into the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 album chart.
The Atlanta country duo’s album debuted at No. 2 last week based solely on sales of a special fan edition, released July 22 and including bonus tracks. The regular edition of the album hit stores on July 29, helping push the CD to the top. The album switches positions with last week’s No. 1, Miley Cyrus’ “Breakout.”
Sugarland isn’t the only Atlanta act in the Top 10. Christian rock outfit Third Day had its highest charting album and best sales week ever, according to Billboard. The quartet’s new album, “Revelation,” debuts at No. 6, selling 75,000 copies.
Both Sugarland and Third Day also top their respective genre album charts this week.
For more on the new Third Day album, check out our visit with the band in a local rehearsal studio here. For more on the Sugarland release, see our interview with the band’s Kristian Bush here. And the review here.
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Nelly’s Coming To Atlanta Aug. 19 — For Free
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Speaking of rapper-actor Nelly (in the last blog post here, that is), it has just been announced that he will perform a free concert here Aug. 19, at the Tabernacle.
The show is part of the second annual Samsung AT&T Summer Krush concert series, where in addition to being able to see such notables as Mariah Carey, LeAnn Rimes and the Smashing Pumpkins for nothing, the sponsor hopes to entice you into one of their interactive phone booths to try out the Samsung Blackjack II.
Local radio stations V-103 and 95.5 The Beat are giving out tickets to its listeners, but you can also sign up for them HERE.
Salivating already over the often half-naked rapper? Does it seem like it’s taking a looong time for him to put out his new CD, “Brass Knuckles” — now scheduled to hit stores the same day as this show?
(See two of the four - count ‘em, FOUR videos — he’s released of singles from “Brass” already; plus Rick Ross’s “Here I Am”, which he contributes a rather nice verse to).
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On The Video Shoot(s) with T.I.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With one (“No Matter What”, see the YouTube video above) already topping BET’s daily 106 & Park countdown — and another for “Whatever You Like” debuting tonight at 8 p.m. on BET — Atlanta rapper/actor T.I. has already been busy putting No. 3 and 4 from his upcoming CD, “Paper Trail,” in the can.
T.I. just completed shooting the videos for singles “What’s Up, What’s Haapnin’ ” and “Swing Ya Rag” in his hometown.
“What’s Up, What’s Haapnin’ ” was actually shot “all around Bankhead,” where he grew up. “We shot at my grandmamas house, all in my old hood — Cedar Avenue, Center Hill, Baker Road, Bankhead, Bowen Homes and [his establishment] Club Crucial — of course. We rode [dirt] bikes up Bankhead [Highway, now known as Metropolitan Parkway]; the Mongoose bikes like I used to ride when I was hustling, before I got to be a rapper. But we were doing something positive this time.
(Director Kai Crawford — also known as Fly Kai — adds that the concept, like the song, “is [T.I.] trying to make a point…putting a stop to the rumor that he’s not involved in the community anymore. He totally, totally proved that wrong and makes the point that that was basically coming from one source. Not the people. So in way it was a documentary of what his day’s like when he’s off. Reliving his childhood.”)
“This is more of an interior, studio performance video,” T.I. said on the set of “Swing Ya Rag”, in downtown Atlanta on Krog Street. “It’s moreso about the influence of Gucci and Louis Vuitton in the hood. Of course everybody knows how prominent Gucci and Louis is in Hollywood, but we want to show them how we add it to our swag. And how it flavors our flavor. And I’ve got a meeeann rag swag in this video.”
While we had him during his lunch break (six beef patties, six coco breads and some jerk chicken and rice for him and two of his sons, in case you were wondering), T.I. also caught the Atlanta Music Scene up on some of his other ongoing activities.
“[His clothing line] Akoo is launching October, that’s when we’ll be unveiling our baby to the world. Also, there’s the movie ‘Bone Deep’; we’ll start shooting that in September with me, Chris Brown and Idris Elba — and that’s my first film as a producer. And Sept. 30 ‘Paper Trail’ is in stores, along with Big Kuntry King (whose debut solo CD is titled “My Turn To Eat”). It’s going to be Grand Hustle day!”
And what about that talk about him also doing an album with Nelly? (See the Rap-Up story HERE ).
“We’ve had conversations about it. We have to speak again on it… I mean, we’ve recorded songs together just because we have a great relationship. But we haven’t finalized anything. I wish I could do records with a lot of people in the industry. Me, [Lil] Wayne and [Young] Jeezy have actually talked about doing a project together; because our birthdays are like all in the same week. There’s a lot I would like to do, hope to do.”
Interested in either one of these possible collaborations? What about the singles T.I. has released so far, making you anxious for “Paper Trail”?
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The Outlawz Ride Again
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Almost 12 years after legendary rapper Tupac Shakur was killed, and about the same amount of time since their big single (“Hit ‘Em Up”) with him, Atlanta-based hip-hop group Outlawz continue to be as prolific as the late superstar.
ThursdayAUG 7/SYM at 5 pm. at the FYE store at Union Station (still known to many as Shannon Mall), the foursome will be signing their new independent CD “We Want In,” which was released this week.“We’ll be reintroducing ourselves to the fans, and introducing ourselves to the people who may not know independent projects are out, because they don’t get the same TV and radio commercials that an artist signed to a major label gets,” says the Outlawz’ E.D.I. Mean.
“That’s OK though,” continues Mean — whose remaining group members are named (surely you wondered!): Kastro, Stormey and Young Noble. “Everyone has to reestablish themselves in this industry. Even Jay-Z can’t just put out a record and expect people to buy it, without laying the groundwork…The good thing is we have so many hardcore fans that have been rooting for us. That’s how we’ve put out close to 15 independent projects since Tupac (who was also a part of the Outlawz) died. People may know us best because of him, but they stay with us because of what we’ve done since he left.”
Are you among those “hardcore fans” of the Outlawz? Planning to stop by FYE tomorrow? Who do you think has carried on the 2Pac mantle best — if anyone?
(See the YouTube video for the Outlawz new single/title track, “We Want In/Hunger Pains” BELOW. And underneath that, a bonus, the video for “Hit ’Em Up”).
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Rate “The Single: Monica”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
CREDIT: Peachtree TV
Miss Sophia, the entertainment reporter on V-103’s Frank and Wanda Morning Show, said it made her cry.
Rashan Ali of Hot-107.9’s A Team Morning Show told listeners this morning she cried twice.
Did you see Peachtree TV’s one-off reality show “The Single: Monica” — about what it’s taken for the Grammy-winning Atlanta R&B singer to craft a comeback single— and if so, what did you think? (If not, a repeat is scheduled to be on tomorrow at 8 p.m.).
To those same people, how would you rate the single Atlantans Bryan-Michael Cox and Adonis came up with on the show, “Still Standing” (featuring Ludacris)? Peachtree TV has intimated that they would like to make “The Single” a series featuring other artists. Interested? And if so, with what artists?
Monica talked to the AJC about her reality show debut HERE.
CREDIT: David Graves
We were also at the private party Cox threw for her at Luckie Lounge — as you can tell from the photo above — see the rest of the gallery HERE
And see excerpts from “The Single: Monica” on the YouTube Webisode videos below:
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Luke Bryan gets piggy with it
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Luke Bryan. Photo: Capitol Nashville
One of the stars of the new Luke Bryan video is a real pig. Literally.
His name is Squigley Nelson and he’s a resident of the Show Me Safari Petting Zoo in Muskegon, Mich. Rising South Georgia-born country star Bryan and his band mates discovered the little piggy during the zoo’s swine race.
Bryan, who grew up in Leesburg about 10 miles north of Albany, gives the little critter plenty of screen time in the “Country Man” video. After all, the song includes this lyric: “I can wrestle hogs and gators with my two bare hands.” Don’t worry, there’s no pig wrestling involved in the clip.
Bryan directed the new video himself, and it’s basically a travelogue capturing the singer-songwriter and his band on the road, interacting with fans and fellow artists. One of those artists is Bryan’s labelmate Dierks Bentley, who makes a cameo appearance doing something he does often. Bentley and Bryan are shown playing a video game.
The “Country Man” video debuts on the GAC: Great American Country channel today, but you can see it online at CMT.com right here.
The “Country Man” single, meanwhile, has been rising up the country charts for several months now and it’s at No. 22 now. Maybe the video will help push it up into the Top 10. Could this fun clip help the third single match the performance of the No. 5 hit “All My Friends Say,” the first single from Bryan’s debut album, “I’ll Stay Me”? That cute little pig can’t hurt.
